Ratings from the 80's

[j swift]

But, that is one of the variables for cancellation.  If I'm Frank's Vacuum Emporium, why would I pay for ads on EON for the same price as other soaps with similar ratings, if my ad is only going to reach 70% of the country? 

I assume you know that the only use of ratings is to justify ad revenue, nobody actually cares how many people are watching TV, popularity never trumps profit.  It is simple to assess a scenario where it would be easier to give the hour back to the affiliates rather than try to convince national advertisers to pay for commercials at a similar rate to the rest of the line-up for a show that has lower clearance. 

Edited September 5, 2023 by j swift

[Contessa Donatella]

From what I've read Jackie asked Agnes for a recommendation for a writer for GH & she definitely said Douglas Marland & Jackie went with that. 

I've never read of Agnes having anything to do with Monty being tapped & promoted from Director to EP. 

And I've read copious amounts about this. Jackie = ABC Daytime VP Jackie Smith

[JoeCool]

Agnes gave up her HW position at AMC in 1980/1. ABC was a mess basically because the writing quality was awful. GH after Luke and Laura had all these adventure storylines which were awful. OLTL had a rebirth between 1986 to 1988 and got into the top 3. AMC had its decline because a lot of big actors left the show in the mid 80s and Agnes was not there to steer the ship. Agnes was brought back in late 1980s to HW AMC. AMC got better but ABC was still a mess.  The ABC formulas in the late 70s/early 80s were not working anymore. Bill Bell was still HW at Restless and the quality never waned. Marland was at ATWT and Days was having a rebirth. It was not so much as ABC collapsed...the competition was better, had better writing and better stories. Ryan's Hope and Loving were at the bottom and not doing well and that did not help ABC.

[JoeCool]

Agnes was asked by Fred Silverman about Monty and recommended based on Monty's efforts at CBS. Jackie worked for Fred. So when Jackie asked so did Fred. Fred hired Jackie and credited her with ABC's success. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Could have been exactly so. The great Agnes Nixon was the mastermind behind "GloriaMontySavedGH"! 

[soapfave06]

I meant more so in relation to if they managed to increase the affiliate percentage, the ratings would easily outdo Loving, Ryan’s Hope and other floundering soaps, but I’m sure that’s not as easy as we think, so I agree from a business standpoint, Edge, Loving, Ryan’s Hope, all needed to go. 

[GLATWT88]

I agree. The numbers Edge was pulling with such modest clearance, it could have definitely faired better with more affiliates. Of course, it is difficult to say how much better, but frustrating that more wasn't done about getting it on affiliates. However, as pointed out it comes down to money and there must have been reasons why...im sure some affiliates had more revenue with local programming at 4 than if they aired EON. 

[JAS0N47]

FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 12/10/84-12/14/84 & 12/17/84-12/21/84:

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FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS (FAST NATIONALS): WEEK OF 12/24/84-12/28/84:

 

[BoldRestless]

Another year completed

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Thanks @JAS0N47

[JAS0N47]

Not just any year, the halfway point of the decade!  Yay!!

[soapfave06]

I’m surprised to see GL outdoing AMC so often. When did Luke and Laura return at the end of ‘84 exactly? 
 

Thanks for all you do Jason, 1985 is going to be a fun year to see unfold with OLTL turning around. 

[kalbir]

1985 we'll see Y&R continue to grow and the start of Marland-era As the World Turns.

[JAS0N47]

Don't have the California Dreams time frame yet, but here's a look at the premiere of SBTB in 1989, and May sweeps weeks of SBTB in 1990 and 1991. They lost a full ratings point between each time frame (4.9 premiere, 3.8 in May 1990 and 2.8 in May 1991).

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Edited September 7, 2023 by JAS0N47

[Soapsuds]

Marland era began in the fall of 1985.  ATWT will continue to drop in the ratings and won't start challenging the other soaps until the spring of 1986. At the same time GL will start to implode in the ratings.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Soapsuds

[YRfan23]

Truly incredible we've gotten this far!!

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 all thanks to you my friend!!